A 44-year-old Waikiki man appeared in Honolulu District Court yesterday to face charges of murder and sexual assault of his ex-girlfriend, who was mentally disabled and suffered from seizures.

Kevin H. Dale was charged Monday in the death of Christi Hokoana, 33, who died Friday at Queen's Medical Center, where she was taken unconscious from Dale's Ala Wai Boulevard apartment on Jan. 9.

The Medical Examiner's Office said Hokoana died from blunt force head trauma and classified her death as a homicide. Hokoana, who was mentally disabled and suffered from seizures, had a temporary restraining order against Dale, also known as Kevin Henderson, that was to expire in July 2029.

Hokoana and Dale were in a relationship for two years. Her uncle and legal guardian, Rockwell Hokoana, requested a protective order on her behalf after Dale allegedly grabbed, hit, pushed and shoved her in April 2009 as she was leaving Dale's apartment.

On Jan. 9, Dale told police that Hokoana went to his apartment after they ran into each other at Ala Moana Center. They got into an argument about her current boyfriend. Dale told police that Hokoana fell and struck her chin on the table and ended up on the floor where she eventually fell asleep, according to an affidavit filed by police in District Court.

Dale called a friend and told her that Hokoana had an “;episode,”; causing her to fall several times when she injured her chin, the affidavit said. His friend came over and observed her lying in the middle of the floor, nude. She told police she was making “;snoring sounds”; and appeared stiff. Dale's friend called 911 and asked Dale if he did anything to her, but he didn't answer.

Hokoana was transported to Queen's Medical Center in critical condition. Doctors observed a large contusion to the back of her head, bleeding around her brain due to head trauma and severe swelling of her brain, the affidavit said. She also had a large laceration to her chin and several bruises on her arms, shoulders and hip.

A doctor told police Hokoana's injuries weren't consistent with Dale's description of what happened to her. Another doctor from Kapiolani Medical Center for Women and Children performed an examination and determined there were signs of vaginal and anal trauma. Detectives obtained a search warrant and observed traces of blood on the door, carpet and a chair in Dale's apartment.

A neighbor told police she heard Dale yelling, “;you're in love with someone else”; sometime between 10 a.m. and 11 a.m. Soon after, she heard loud banging and thumping noises coming from his apartment as well as pounding noises on the wall and floor, according to the police affidavit.

About 11 a.m., the resident manager saw an orange-colored backpack fall from the building on the same side of Dale's apartment. Inside the backpack was Hokoana's Handi-Van bus pass, state identification card and court documents.

Dale has a criminal record of 13 misdemeanors and petty misdemeanors that include criminal contempt of court, second-degree theft and promotion of a detrimental drug in the third degree.

Funeral services for Hokoana will be held tomorrow.